Sunday, July 8, 2012

Peach Pie

Peaches are a staple during the summer here in the South. I made this recipe with local South Carolina peaches.

Homemade Peach Pie

2 pie crusts

10 ripe but firm peaches

1 lemon, juiced

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon or pinch ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt or regular salt

3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Egg wash:

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Prepare the bottom crust. Peel and cut the peaches into 1/4 inch thick slices. You should have about 7 cups. (My future mother-in-law showed me that you can boil the peaches for 30-45 seconds to make them easier to peel.) Toss the peaches with the lemon juice and almond extract in a large bowl. Whisk the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in another bowl, making sure there are no lumps. Stir the flour mixture into the peaches and mix well. Pour the peaches into the pie crust. Scatter with the pieces of butter. Cut the other pie crust into 1 inch strips and top the pie with lattice strips. (It took me a few minutes to figure out the lattice work. You just have to fold back every other strip and lay a strip crosswise.) Crimp the edges to seal. Beat the egg and milk together and brush the lattice and edges with the egg wash.

Pop in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, and then lower the heat to 350 degrees F and bake until the crust gets brown, about 50 minutes more. Cool about 30 minutes before serving.